Coin-controlled vending machine



June 18, 1929.

E F. WHITE COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Fil Aug- 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. F: W/// 75;

[OW/9RD ATTORNEYS.

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mm m K June 18, 1929. WHITE coIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 3, 1928 June 18,. 1929. E. F. WHITE COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 3, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. SbR omvkofi' Wm TE,

BY Ma imme? Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES EDWARD F. WHITE, 0]? PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed August 3, 1928. Serial No. 297,231.

This invention, generally stated, relates to vending machines and has more especial relation to coin controlled vending machines.

The leading object of the present invention may be said to reside in the provision of a coin controlled vending machine of efficient and reliable character capable of ready manufacture and operation, and also capable of being manufactured at comparatively low cost, the parts being so arranged, connected, and constructed'that ejecting of the goods contained Within the device may be had by the insertion of a proper coin or coins in the rotatable coin carrier of the machine.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which is provided a sectional, coin locked, rotatable operating shaft upon which is mounted a carrier for goods to be ejected, the carrier being so arranged that two or more vertical columns of goods may be fed by gravity to the carrier for release to a delivery chute upon deposit of a proper coin or coins.

; A further object of the present invention is to rovide apparatus of the character stated in which there is provided a sectional operating shaft having coin carriers, the sections of said shaft being locked for rotation upon presentation of a proper coin or coins,

the coin carriers being rotatable in one direction only.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a coin controlled vending machine in which is provided an elongated, sectional operating shaft, opposed ends of which shaft have associated therewith, one behind the other, coin carriers, and in which upon one of the sections of said shaft and to the rear of the coin carriers is arranged a package carrier having package receiving compartments arranged one in advance of the other around the carrier periphery.

A further object is to provide apparatus of the character stated in which coins of several denominations, properly presented, ma be used for the purchase of commodities.

A further object is to provide a spring pressed ball and groove arrangement within a hearing so that upon completion of each one-half turn of the operating shaft the coin receiving parts are properly ali ned and shaft sections steadied by reason 0 said ball seating within a groove.

Other and further objects reside in the-provision of the general arrangement, construction and connection of parts for attaining the results sought by the foregoing objects. With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the-novel construction hereinafter described and finally claimed.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and in which Fig. 1, is a view in longitudinal section of a vending machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2. is a view in cross section taken upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary view in cross section taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 4,is a view in cross section taken upon the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5. is a fragmentary view in plan of certain of the sectional shaft parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6, is a view in longitudinal section taken upon the line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7, is an end view of a coin carrier.

Fig. 8, is an end view of one of the shaft sections.

Fig. 9, is a face view of the rotatable package carrier shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

Fig. 10, is a View in erspective of a. some what modified form of package carrier.

Fig. 11. is a view in horizontal section of a coin vending mechine embodying the invention which is electrieall operated.

For the purpose of i lustrating my invention I have shown in the accompanying drawings several forms thereof which are at present preferred by me, since the same have been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalit'ies of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

and with especial relation to Figs. 1 to 9. the

reference numeral 1 designates a casing of generally rectangular form and WlllCll may be constructed of any desired material. The

casing 1 is provided with a number of vertically disposed goods receiving compartments 2. These compartments 2, of which there may be any number, two being shown in the drawings for illustrative purposes, are arranged one back of the other longitudinally of the casing. The reference numeral 3 designates packages stacked within the compartments 2 in vertical alignment, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4. These packages 3 when released drop of their own weight to a carrier 4 lixed to one section of a longitudinally arranged, sectional, coin locked, operating shaft. This shaft is made up of aligned sections designated 32, 33, and 34. A bearing 6 is arranged at the rear of the casing 1, and a hearing 7 is arranged at the casing front. A hearing 15 is arranged within compartment 5. Th section 32 of shaft is rotatable in these hearings. The section of the shaft is rtatahle in a bearing 15' arranged centrally of compartment 5. The section 34 of the shaft is rotatable in bearing 15" and bearing in the front of casing 1. The sections of shafts are in horizontal alignment and are arranged to be connected together and disconnected from one another under coin control, as will appear hereinafter. The bearings 15, 15', and 15 are duplicates of one another and the section 34 of the operating shaft is provided with a knob 8. The carrier 4, which is of cylindrical form, is provided with a pair of package receiving chambers 9. These chambers 9 are arranged in vertical alignment with the. compartments 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and at predetermined intervals receive a package 3 for delivery to a chute. Below the carrier 4 there is arranged a delivery chute 10 which leads to an opening 11 at the casing front. see Fig. 1. The purpose of the chute 10 is to receive the packages 3 as ejected by the carrier 4 upon rotation to the right (as shown in Fig. 2) of the knob 8 of the operating shaft. The section 32 of the operating shaft has fixed thereon a toothed wheel 12, see Fig. 2, adapted to be cooperatively engaged by a dog 13, spring pressed as at 14. Thus, while the operating shaft under proper conditions of coin insertion is free to be rotated in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 2, retrograde movement of the shaft is prevented by the spring pressed dog 13. Each of the bearings 15, 15', and 15" comprises a fixed block and a removable cap 16. The cap 16 is vertically drilled to receive a ball 17, and a coiled spring 18, the ball 17 being adapted to seat alternately within vertically aligned grooves 19 of the operating shaft, the purpose of which will presently appear. The cap 16 is secured to its complemental block by means of screws 20. The spring pressed ball 17 is maintained in proper position by means of a thin plate 21 which'in ractice is firmly secured to a cap 16 by one of the screws 20. Between adjacent hearings 15, 15, and 15" are arranged coin carriers of which two are shown in the drawings, one for use for each compartment 2. These coin carriers are arranged longitudinally of the casing 1, one behind the other as clearly seen inFig. 1, and are arranged loosely upon the operating shaft between adjacent ends of the operating shaft, see Fig. 1, so that when proper coins are inserted in coin carriers and the knob 8 turned, the shaft sections move as a single shaft. Below each coin carrier 25 there is arranged a fixed chute, designated 22 in communication with a coin receptacle 23, see Figs. 1 and 2. The coin carriers 25 are arranged within compartment 5. Each coin carrier 25 is slotted as at 27 in vertical alignment with the vertical chute 22 and coin slots 28. The slot 27 passes entirely through the coin carrier, as best seen in Fig. 7. Arranged in vertical alignment with the slots 27 of the coin carriers 25 are coin slots 28 of which there is one for each coin carrier, two being shown in the drawing. Compartment 5 s closed by.

a cover 29 hinged as at 30 and arranged to be locked as at 31. Within compartment 5 there is arranged below the coin carriers 25 a longitudinally extended base 32. Mounted upon this base 32 is a longitudinally extended member 33 upon which member 33 is mounted the coin carriers 25. The chutes 22 extend through base 32 and member 33. The base 32 at one side is provided with a nose 34 which projects within the chute 22. The function of this nose 34' will presently appear. The coin slots 28 are gauged to receive coins of various denominations so that purchases may be effected by means of one or more coins. The coins, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, are passed throu h these slots and drop into the grooves 26 o the coin carriers 25 and also into coin slots 27 in the shaft sections. thus connecting the shaft sections for rotation. The slots 27 extend through the shaft sections. This is for the reason that any coin smaller than the slots 28 are gauged for will pass entirely through the slots 27 and prevent locking of the shaft parts.

The operation of the above described machine may be described as follows:

Assuming that there are two columns of merchandise to be dispensed, and for illustrative purposes assuming that to dispense this merchandise requires the insertion of two coins of different denominations and different diameters, then the coins are dropped in the slots 28 and engage the grooves 26 of the coin carriers 25 and the slots 27 of the opposed ends of the sections of the operating shaft. The coins seated within the uppermost of the grooves 26 and also engaging the uppermost ed es of the grooves 27 of the opposed ends 0 the sections of the operating shaft are best seen in Fig. 1. Thus the various sections 34, 33, and 32 0f the shaft are interlocked, as is clearly shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The purchaser now moves to the right, for the distance of one-half turn, the knob 8, thus properly moving shaft sections 34, 33, and 32 including package carrier 4. As the operating shaft is turned to the right 'rier 4 has received a pac this position of parts the spring pressed do 13 prevents retrograde movement of the sha and upon completion of one-half turn of knob 8 the coins abut against nose 34' and drop through chute 22 to coin receptacle 23. During this movement a package containing compartment 9 of carage 3 and simultaneously with the deposit of the coins in the rece tacle 23 deposits the purchased article in t e chute 10. With the com letion of one-half turn of the operating sha t and the release of the coins and package, the sec tions of shaft become disconnected but are steadied and kept in alignment because of the fact that the grooves 19 of the shaft sections receive the spring pressed balls 17. In the machine is again ready to be operated, and in thisconnectionit may be stated that an empty package containing compartment 9 has in the meantime been filled ready for delivery.

Regarding the operation of the machine with two or more coins, it may be stated that the machine can be operated with a single coin if desired. For instance, one of the coin receiving members 25 may have fitted thereto a slug so that while the shaft parts are coupled together for rotation no coin will be accepted. by the machine for this particular carrier. As many coin slots 28 and coin carriers 25 may be employed as desired, it being merely necessary to add additional shaft sections and bearings. V

Referring now to Fig. 10. a somewhat modified form of package carrier is shown. The reference numeral 35 designates a cylinder carried by shaft section 32 and is provided with a plurality of peripheral continuous grooves 36 arran'ged parallel with the shaft section. Thus, one-half turn of shaft section 32 results in the release of packages from three grooves 36.

The above described coin controlled vending machine hashad sole relation to a mechanically operated vending machine. I have also designed an electrically operated vending machine embodying the features of the device, a description of which will now be given: y

The reference numeral 37 designates the main portion of the operating shaft and is coupled to the shaft 38 of electric motor 39 by means of a coupling 40. Located upon the shaft section 37 is the package carrier 4 which is similar in all IESPGCZS to the carrier 4 shown in Fig. 1. Coupled to shaft 37 by means of a coupling 41 is a shaft section 42 provided with a coin slot43. This shaft section 42 is rotatable within a bearing similar in all respects to the bearing shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Reference numeral 44 designates another shaft section provided at each end with a coin slot 45, this section of shaft being rotatable in the same type of bearing just referred'to. The shaft sections 44 an son by means of stri s 42 are secured together for rotation in unidesignates still anot er shaft section provided with a coin slot 48. The shaft sections 47 and 44 are secured together for rotation in unison by means of strips of insulating material 49. The shaft section 47 is rotatable in a bearing similar in all respects to the bearing shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The shaft 37 and its companion sections are held against retrograde movement by means of the spring pressed do" similar is all respects to the part shown in ig. 2. Having electrical connection with shaft sections 44 and 42 are contact pieces 50 and 51. Contact 50 is in electrical connection by means of conductor 52 with battery 53 and terminal post 54 of moof insulation 46. 47.

tor 39. The contact 51 is in electrical connection by means of conductor 55'with terminal post 56' of the motor 39. In operation the various shaft sections while being coupled together cannot rotate because the motor 39 is inoperative. However, with the insertion of coins in the various coin slots electrical connection is made through battery 53 to energize the motor 39 and thus rotate the shaft and its parts. a I I am aware that the invention ma be embodied in other specific forms wit out departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiments to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scolpe of the invention.

aving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Apparatus of the character stated comprising a casing containing at its rear portion a stack of commodities to be purchased, an operating shaft extended beneath said stack of commodities and composed of a plurality of sections arranged to be interlocked for rotation in one direction only, the opposed adj acent faces of said sections being slotted, a commodityiqdelivery member carried by and fixed to the rearmost of said sections in a plane beneath said stack of commodities, a delivery chute extended forwardly of said casing in a plane beneath said plurality of sections, grooved coin carriers engaging over the opposed ends of said sections and rotatable therewith, the grooves of said carriers being arranged in alignment with the slots in said shaft sections, a plurality of coin slots arranged one behind'the other and above the carrier grooves and in alignment therewith, whereby upon insertion of a coin of proper denomination in said coin carriers the shaft sections are interlocked for rotation, and means for rotating said interlocked sections.

2. Apparatus of the character stated comprising a casing containing at its rear portion a stack of commodities to be purchased, an operating shaft extended beneath said stack of commodities and composed of a plurality of sections arranged to be interlocked for rotation in one direction only, the opposed adjacent faces of said sections being slotted, a commodity delivery member carried by and fixed to the rearmost of said sections in a plane beneath said stack of commodities, a delivery chute extended forwardly of said casing in a plane beneath said plurality of sections, grooved coin carriers engaging over the opposed ends of said sections and rotatable therewith, the grooves of said carriers being arranged in alignment with the slots in said shaft sections, a plurality of coin slots arranged one behind the other and above the carrier grooves and in alignment therewith, whereby upon insertion of a coin of proper denomination in said coin carriers the shaft sections are interlocked for rotation, and manual means for rotating said interlocked sections.

3. Apparatus of the character stated comprising a casing containing at its rear portion a stack of commodities to be purchased, an operating shaft extended beneath said stack of commodities and composed of a plurality of sections arranged to be interlocked for rotation in one direction only, the opposed adjacent" faces of said sections being vertically slotted, a commodity delivery member carried by and fixed to the rearmost of said sections, in a plane beneath said stack of commodities, a delivery chute extended forwardly of said casing in a plane beneath said plurality of sections, vertically grooved coin carriers engaging over the opposed ends of said sections and rotatable therewith, the grooves of said carriers being arranged in alignment with slots in said shaft sections, a plurality of coin slots arranged one behind the other and above the carrier grooves and in alignment therewith, whereby upon insertion of a coin of proper denomination in said coin carriers the shaft sections are interlocked for rotation, means for rotating said interlocked sections for one half revolution and means for disengaging said coin from said interlockedsections.

4. Apparatus of the character stated comprising a casing containing at its rear portion a stack of commodities to be purchased, an operating shaft extended beneath said stack of commodities and composed of a plurality of sections arranged to be interlocked for rotation inone direction only, the

opposed adjacent faces of said sections being vertically slotted, a commodity delivery member carried by and fixed to the rearmost of said sections, in a plane beneath said stack of commodities, a delivery chute extended forwardly ofsaid casing in a plane beneath sa d plurality of sections, vertically grooved coin carriersengaging over the opposed ends of said sections and rotatable therewith, the grooves of said carriers being arranged in alignment with slots in said shaft sections, a plurality of coin slots arranged one behind the other and above the carrier grooves and in alignment therewith, whereby upon insertion of a coin of pro or denomination in said coin carriers the sha t sections are interlocked for rotation, means for rotating said interlocked sections for one half revolution and means for disengaging said coin from said interlocked sections, and spring pressed means for retaining said grooves and slots in alignment at the end of a period of rotation.

5. Apparatus of the character stated comprising a casing containing at its rear portion a stack of commodities to be purchased, an operating shaft extended beneath said stack of commodities and horizontally arranged and composed of a plurality of sections arranged to be interlocked for rotation in one direction only, the opposed adjacent faces of said sections being vertically slotted, and a commodity delivery member carried by and fixed to the rearmost of said sections in a plane beneath said stack of commodities, a delivery chute extended forwardly ofsaid casing in a plane beneath said plurality of sections, vertically grooved coin carriers engaging over the opposed ends of said sections and rota .able therewith, the grooves of said carriers being arran ed in alignment with slots in said shaft sections, a plurality of coin slots arranged one behind the other and above the carrier rooves and in alignment there with, where y upon insertion of a coin of proper denomination in said coin carriers the shaft sections are interlocked for rotation, cylindrical means for rotating said interlocked sections for one-half revolution and means for disengaging said coin from said interlocked sections.

6. Apparatus of the character stated comprising a casing containing at its rear portion a stack of commodities to be purchased, an operating shaft extended beneath said stack of commodities and composed of a plurality of sections arranged to be interlocked for rotation in one direction only, the opposed adjacent faces of said sections being vertically slotted, a commodity delivery member carried by and fixed to the rearmost of said sections in aplane beneath said stack of commodities, a delivery chute extended forwardly of said'casing in a plane beneath said plurality of sections, vertically grooved coin carriers engaging over the opposed ends of said sections and rotatable therewith, the grooves of said carriers being arranged in alignment with slots in said shaft sections, a plurality of coin slots arran ed one behind the other and above the carrier grooves and in alignment therewith, whereby upon insertion of a coin of proper denomination in said coin carriers the shaft sections are interlocked for rotation, means for rotating said interlocked sections, and means to prevent retrograde movement of said interlocked parts for one-half revolution and means for disengaging said coin from said interlocked sections, and spring pressed means for retaining said grooves and slots in alignment at the end of a period of rotation.

7. Apparatus of the character stated, comprising a casing containing at its rear portion a stack of commodities to be purchased, an operating shaft extended beneath said stack of commodities and composed of a plurality of sections arranged to be interlocked 15 for rotation in one direction only, the opposed adjacent faces of said shaft sections being slotted, a commodity delivery member carried by and fixed to the rearmost of said sections, a plurality of grooved coin carriers arranged one behind the other upon and rotatable with said sections said grooves being in alignment with said slots in said shaft sections, a plurality of coin slots arranged one behind the other and in alignment with the carrier grooves, whereby upon insertion of coins of proper denomination within said coin slots and carriers the shaft sections are interlocked for rotation, and means for rotating the interlocked arts.

ED ARD F. WHITE. 

